The third edition of EFM Horizon, the European Film Market (EFM)'s hub dedicated to the transformation of the film and media sectors, will host workshops, panels, talks and keynotes at the Berliner Freiheit over the course of five days (8-12 February). Funded by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the event will focus on challenges, new business models and strategies, as well as thematic, structural and technological changes, while providing a particularly close look at the topics of immersive media, diversity, storytelling, artificial intelligence and blockchain technology.

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As part of the five-year anniversary of the EFM Startups initiative, ten selected startups from Germany, France, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Estonia and this year's EFM Country in Focus, Norway, will be introducing themselves and presenting new ideas at the intersection of film, media and technology, whether in the areas of development, production, distribution or marketing of audiovisual content.

Other highlights include events focused on artificial intelligence (AI) under the heading "The Transforming Force of AI: Hype or High Potential?" (organised in collaboration with the Fraunhofer HHI, and taking a look at the status quo of AI in the film and entertainment branches) and blockchain technology under the title "Blockchain in Motion: Challenges and Opportunities in 2019" (organised in collaboration with FilmChain, an interactive session devoted to the topic, featuring a keynote speech, a presentation and a workshop that will allow attendees to discuss the opportunities, risks and challenges of blockchain, plus a presentation of selected blockchain applications and the technology's potential).

Immersive media (virtual reality, 360° video) will also play an important role in the programme, with the third EFM VR NOW Summit, presented by Virtual Reality Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (VRBB) and Booster Space, dedicated to how film, television and immersive media can be linked with one another, in addition to the presentation of interactive VR experiences (such as Fatih Akin's accompaniment to his newest film, The Golden Glove[+leggi anche: recensionetrailerscheda film], and the VR spin-off of the crime series Pagan Peak). In the meantime, in the VRNEXT Investors Club, selected producers, creatives and experienced distributors will pitch their business models.

Finally, EFM Horizon will also host the EFM Industry Debates, whose central topics this year will be changes in film production and financing (in collaboration with Screen International) and virtual-reality content production as a marketing tool for film and TV (in collaboration with Variety). In reference to the CAA Motion Picture Cast Diversity Index, the third EFM Industry Debate will discuss the extreme success enjoyed by films featuring ethnically diverse casts in recent years (in collaboration with The Hollywood Reporter).

All of the information regarding the formats and speakers at EFM Horizon as well as the form you'll need to fill out to pre-register for the event can be found here.